French word

désespérer

Pronunciation

IPA/dezɛspeʁe/

Meaning

  • verblose hope

Example

Il ne faut pas désespérer, on trouvera une solution.

Don't lose hope; we'll find a solution.

Illustration for désespérer (lose hope)

More examples

Il commence à désespérer de l'avenir.

He is beginning to despair of the future.

Core concept

A person sees every path forward fade until hope no longer supports the next step.

Common phrases

  • se désespérer de

    despair of

  • désespérer quelqu'un

    make someone despair

Similar words

se décourager: To lose motivation when effort or expectation seems pointless.
perdre espoir: To lose hope that good things will happen in the future.
se résigner: To accept a difficult situation without further resistance or hope.
s'effondrer: To suddenly lose emotional strength under unbearable strain.

Definition in French

Ressentir une absence totale d'espérance; se trouver dans un état de découragement profond.

Word origin

French désespérer comes through Old French from Latin dēspērāre, formed from dē- and spērāre 'to hope', and it is related to English despair.

Usage tips

  • In the construction désespérer de + infinitive or noun, de introduces what the lost hope concerns.

Other meanings

  • be discouragedverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word